Monday, November 30, 2009

Fortuitously - and, perhaps, not coincidentally - this post is the 2000th on this blog!

If there's one thing we do well here, it's to point out the inconsistencies and absurdities about the sports we love. So what better way to celebrate this blog's growth and success than to open the floor for nominations for the Ozzie Guillen Go Fuck Yourself Award for November 2009?

Remember, you've got to offer something your nominee(s) did in November to merit this very special award. Let 'em fly...

Weekend thoughts from under the giant foam hat (cause that's how MMBSD rolls)

College Football1. There's a long list this year of college football disappointments and I think Oklahoma State deserves serious consideration for the top spot. Ranked highly to start the year, returning offensive starters, quality start with a crushing win over Georgia...all to end with an epic beatdown by an injured riddled and up to this point giant disappointment Sooner squad. There will be no BCS bid, no 10 win season, simply nothing for a squad that had a wide open path in the crappy Big 12 and blew it. With Ok State's loss, short of Nebraska beating Texas, I think its safe to say Boise State will get the final at large BCS bid.

2. With most teams ending their regular season and it being not quite being bowl season its time for coach firing season. Mark Richt's victory should simply mean firing of some coordinators rather than him. FSU's beatdown could mean Old Man Bowden finally stops showing up on the sidelines and clear the way for Jimbo Fisher to officially become head coach. Besides that it generally appears that no major program will undergo shakes save....

3. Notre Dame. For old white people Notre Dame will forever be synonymous with champion or Football USA or whatever. So the Notre Dame coaching search will drag all sorts of crazy names into the limelight (for example Tony Dungy, Brian Billick, Bill Clinton). If I was to bet things other than Colonel's worldly possessions I'd bet on Brian Kelly getting the job... Nonetheless until its settled it should be a wild ride.

NFL1. The Colts and the Saints seem to be near perfect duplicates of each other. Outstanding QB, opportunistic defense, average at best running game, and playing in spurts. This week the Colts dug themselves into a huge hole before coming from behind to win. It'll be interesting how the Saints stack up against the Patriots if only as a measuring stick against the Colts.

2. I have to admit I'm pretty happy about Vince Young and the Titans. I was particularly perplexed by the Titans awful start but they seem to have righted the ship since Young was put in the helm. If previously you could claim it was an odd series of coincidences that the Titans won with Young this week it was obvious that Titans won because of Young when he engineered a game winning 99 yard drive.

3. Baltimore's win over Pittsburgh, while distasteful , positions them decently for a playoff push. Denver, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore seem all in contention for the wildcards with pretty easy schedules down the stretch. Remember the Steelers play Baltimore again so this isn't over.

NBAAs the season has gone along it appears things are settling down into what we all expected at the start of the year. The one team that seems to continually defy preseason predictions is Phoenix. The Suns appear to have returned to their old form of scoring crazy amounts of points, Nash in MVP form, and well winning. Yes the Phoenix Suns currently have the best record in the NBA. Who'd have thunk it....

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Jordan wins for insisting on wearing his daddy's Nikes and costing his school, the University of Central Florida, $3 million dollars. This Baby Jordan really is a big baby - and by putting himself ahead of his team, everyone loses.

You have an awfully high opinion of yourself, Marcus, especially considering that you're a little punk whose only accomplishment is...winning this award! Now go fuck yourself.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Manwich Matchup of the WeekPatriots @ Saints - Wow, what a Monday Nighter! I think the odds are high that Belichick works feverishly through Thanksgiving while digesting as much film as possible for the sole purpose of embarrassing Drew Brees.Pick: Pats

Upset of the WeekCAR @ Jets - This is another week with what looks like a lot of awful games. Granted, last week the CHIEFS AND RAIDERS scored big upsets... I just don't have the balls to forecast something like that. Instead, I'll just predict that Mark Sanchez will throw 3 more INTs.Pick: CAR

Opening Round Playoff Game #11Teams that have been eliminated: Cincy (against Denver in week 1)!, St. Louis, Washington, Buffalo (twice), Jacksonville, Tampa, Oakland, Detroit, San Fran, and now AtlantaPitt @ Baltimore - I can't believe these teams haven't played yet, and that they play again in week 16. The Steelers are 6-4. The Ravens 5-5. A loss gives either team 3 division losses and will require the other team to be almost perfect the rest of the way. Granted, the Ravens are probably more desperate this week. And they are at home!Pick: Baltimore

Fantasy Football Game of InterestGiants @ Broncos - A Manning, a Marshall, some RBs... should be an exciting game... for the Broncos to lose 5 straight!Pick: Giants

NBA games of the Week-last week's "Games of the Week" - Orlando edged Boston in a defensive-oriented game... The Spurs got back on track by beating the Bucks.

This week...Miami @ Orlando - Wed 11/25 - should be interesting how D-Wade does in this early test.Orlando @ ATL - Thurs 11/26 - ATL have been red-hot!Dallas @ Cleveland - Sat 11/28 - The Mavs have been up-and-down.

What Happened: Ohio State beat Michigan for the 6th straight year behind a punishing rushing attack, the following teams clinched spots in de facto and de jure conference championship games: Oregon State, Oregon, Nebraska, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Cinci, and Pittsburgh. Les Miles made an awful decision.

Games of the Week

Oklahoma State at OU - Normal inter-state rivalry but in this case Ok State is the favorite with an at large BCS almost assuredely on the line for them.

Pittsburgh at West Virginia - The Backyard Brawl. While the game doesn't impact the Big East title a victory for Pitt could keep their at large BCS spot open if they lose to Cinci

Alabama at Auburn - The Iron Bowl. Auburn's high powered offense v. Alabama's suffocating defense. I'm not sure anything can stop an SEC team in the BCS championship but a loss here might do it.

Georgia v. Georgia Tech - Another rivalry game. Outside of Charlie Weis I think Mark Richt (Georgia) might be on the hottest seat at a major program. A blowout loss here for Georgia will mean some changes are in store at Athens.

Team To Watch

Virginia Tech -With V-Tech's win last week they manuevered themselves into the top 14 and therefore a possible choice for an at large bid. I think they are a long shot but if Ok State loses to OU watch for them to get serious consideration.Bowl PredictionsNo changes from last week. Iowa and P-State's victories will mean that the Big 10 will have 2 BCS teams. As of now I'm predicting Iowa gets the nod over Penn State.

Monday, November 23, 2009

In light of Mighty’s being sequestered in upstate New York, I’ve taken the initiative and shall attempt to fill in the role of Monday (Afternoon) Back Seat Driver...

NFL

Same Old Bungals. Just a week after beating the Steelers and looking like a legitimate contender for the AFC crown, the same old sorry Bungals lost to the lowly Oakland Raiders by giving up 10 unanswered points with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. I don’t care that they’ve beaten the Steelers and Ravens four times, you don’t let a Bruce Gradkowski-led team beat you.

J-E-T-S, Done-Done-Done! After starting out 3-0, including a big win over the Patriots in Week 2, the Jets have gone 1-6 and are now all but eliminated from AFC playoff contention. Pretty boy QB Mark Sanchez (17 INT in 11 games) and the toothless Jets defense have combined to sink yet another season for Gang Green. All of this wouldn’t be out of the ordinary but for the fact that rookie head coach Rex Ryan spent all summer talking trash and writing checks his fat, flabby ass couldn’t cash.

Hold The Bubbly, Miami ’72! As per their usual ritual, alums of the 1972 Dolphins squad that went 17-0 always pop champagne after the last team has gotten their first loss of the year. In looking at Indy’s and New Orleans’s schedules –– both 10-0 –– it looks like Miami ’72 could have a long(ish) wait on their hands. Indy’s remaining games are @HOU, vs. TEN, vs. DEN, @JAX, vs. NYJ and @BUF. The Saints have a much tougher road, having to play vs. NE, @WAS, @ATL, vs. DAL, vs. TB, @CAR. I figure New Orleans trips up somewhere between the Patriots and Cowboys whereas the Colts might lose to the Titans or Jaguars but that’s it.

College Football

The BCS rankings remained the same for the top seven teams and the only change of note was Oregon climbing from #11 to #8, while LSU tumbled from #8 down to #15, courtesy of Les Miles and the brain-fart to end all brain-farts.

One thing to point out in college football is that while the Pac-10 and Big-10 were playing tough in-conference games, the so-called top dogs of college football (Florida/Alabama) were playing cupcake non-conference games against Florida International and Chattanooga, respectively. Um...someone tell me why everyone thinks the SEC is a good conference? They've reached the overrated platform previously seen in the Big-12 from 2004-2007.

Oh, and just in case anyone missed it, Jim Tressel and his Buckeyes once again mopped the floor with Wolverine pelts, this time courtesy of Tate Forcier's five turnovers (1 fumble, 4 INT’s). Rich Rodriguez’s postgame news conference talked about being “humbled” in the first person. As Ozzie Guillen has shown us, there are few things less tolerable than when a coach or manager makes wins and losses about them. This Ohio State fan hopes that Rodriguez stays at UM for a long, long time; all the signs point to this guy being a narcissistic, self-destructive, temperamental loser.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Here we go...yet another installment of the Game. The Buckeyes versus That Team Up North. So what are the matchups that will determine the Game.

1. Brandon Graham v. tOSU O-Line By far the best defensive player on Michigan is senior Brandon Graham. Primarily a defensive end Graham will move around the entire line to exploit his explosiveness (8.5 sacks). OSU's o-line has been beset by inconsistency, injuries, and the swine flu but has come on as of late.

2. Michigan Safeties v. OSU Passing Attack - The Michigan pass defense has been horrible. As in 82nd in the nation. This is only matched by how bad their rush defense is. Most of this is a function of bad safety play. Now to exploit this OSU will have somehow overcome their anemic dead last in the Big 10 passing attack. Watch to see if Tressel gives a tribute to Woody (run 3 straight plays)

3. Carlos Brown/Vincent Smith v. The Silver Bullets - Contrary to I think conventional wisdom, the Wolverine offense is primarily a running team. That is their strength. Unfortunately for them their number 1 running back (Brandon Minor) is out. OSU's D-Line (the so called Silver Bullets) are 10 deep and probably the best tOSU has had since the 02 Championship team. Shutdown the running game and they'll be able to tee off on Forcier.

4. Roundtree v. Chekwa - Best Maize and Blue WR will face off against OSU's best cover corner. Chekwa was burned against Iowa - can he redeem himself? Can Roundtree take short pass plays and turn them into long gains?

5. Zoltan v. Thoma - The Biggest Wolverine advantage lies in the punting game. With super cool named Zoltan Mesko having about a 9 yard per kick advantage over the struggling Thoma.

A cursory search of this site with the string “BBWAA” will yield several pieces where I lambaste the Baseball Writers Association of America for all the stupid, antiquated and borderline criminal work they do in the field of baseball writing. Their record is legendary in this regard.

Congrats to the BBWAA for getting both Cy Young picks right. Perhaps it means the dawning of a new age or perhaps it was just dumb luck. Either way, I’m happy that Greinke and Lincecum got the hardware they so richly deserved.

I’ve always wondered why teams give contract extensions to coaches in the middle of a season. Isn’t it better to wait until the year ends to see how things turned out? I raise this question because the Minnesota Vikings just extended Brad Childress’s contract out to 2013. The original contract was set to expire at the end of next season.

The Vikings are 8-1 and are, in my opinion, the best team in the NFL thus far in 2009. Overall, Childress’s head coaching record sits at 32-25 with the Vikings (his only head coaching position) but it’s worth noting that before the ’09 season began, he was 24-24. One wonders just how much of this contract Childress should pay to Brett Favre as thanks for saving him from a season of either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson. I detest Favre but it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t been the NFL MVP thus far.

Although I fully expect the Vikings to continue their march deep into the NFL season, one does have to wonder what happens if they flop in the playoffs. Their remaining regular season schedule looks pretty easy on paper – home vs. SEA, CHI, CIN, NYG; road vs. AZ, CAR, CHI – so it’s entirely possible that they only lose one more game this year and finish at 14-2. But weren’t the Vikings Super Bowl favorites this pre-season? What to make of a coach that can’t win until he gets Brett Favre on his roster and still can’t win the big one?

I just want to know what the rush was to lock Childress up in mid-season. He had another year left on his deal so it’s not like he was going anywhere. If the Vikings finished the year as strongly as they’ve started it, sure, rewarding the coach would be a perfectly normal thing to do. But why now? Why hurry to make a decision when there is still room for things to go horribly, horribly wrong?

A career .500 head coach convinces a Hall of Fame quarterback to come out of retirement to save the team from another season of mediocrity and gets a contract extension? Wow, what a country.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

First off, congrats to Portugal, Greece, France, and Slovenia. Extra congrats to Slovenia, the only one to pull off the upset. Going into the 2nd leg of their match against Russia, they were down 2-1. However, because they had the away goal, and ended up winning the 2nd leg 1-0, that was enough to get through! Away goals are the first tiebreaker in Europe for some bizarre reason. Interestingly, this means that Guus Hiddink will NOT be at the World Cup, despite his past successes with Netherlands, South Korea, and Australia. No idea where Hiddink will go, or if any country would dare to fire their coach just to have him as their coach! Early rumors are Hiddink could be coaching English Club Chelsea very soon.

Manwich Matchup of the WeekChargers@ Broncos - What a shitty week... this is the best game I could find. That Broncos ship is sinking fast!Pick: Chargers

Upset of the WeekDolphins @ Panthers - There really are no games where I truly believe there will be an upset. This is again, the best that I have.Pick: Dolphins

Opening Round Playoff Game #11Teams that have been eliminated: Cincy (against Denver in week 1)!, St. Louis, Washington, Buffalo (twice), Jacksonville, Tampa, Oakland, Detroit, and now San Fran.Falcons @ Giants - both teams have 4 losses. Lose this game, and that gives you 5 losses and gives you almost no room for error. Plus, both teams may be locked in a tiebreaker at the end. This is a very important game, and for some reason, I'm still a sucker for the Giants turning it around.Pick: Giants

Fantasy Football Game of InterestTitans @ Texans - If only for the selfish reason that I have no idea if Steve Slaton is still starting for the Texans...Pick: Houston

Last Week: 7-8 (note: Balki method chose 5 games differently than I would have chosen, but surprisingly succeeded on Bengals and Packers)Season: 92-52Manwich: 4-6 (Pats blew it)Upset of the Week: 4-6 (Thanks Balki for believing in Packers over Cowboys!)

NBA games of the Week-last week's "Games of the Week" - Cavs went to Miami and beat the pretty soundly... Nuggets snapped a losing streak by destroying the Lakers... Spurs/Mavs still playing (wed. night)

This week...Orlando @ Boston - Friday 11/20 - Oh yeah!Bucks @ Spurs - Monday 11/23 - The Bucks are 6-3, the Spurs are having trouble w/ the new pieces and are only 4-4. I will be on high alert if the Bucks win this game.

Most underrated by the humans: Cincy, Oregon, USC (this is strange, but the computers don't take score into account, so the the thrashings by Oregon and Stanford just look like they are losing to good teams)

As you are all aware this week is Ohio State v. M*ch*g*n aka The Game. Unfortunately given the current ennui that Michigan fans are suffering from the hate just isn't quit there. As such here is a small list to remind everyone - why all sides should dig deep down and rekindle the hate.1.) Justin BorenProbably the biggest source of hate for this game (outside of all that history of hating the entire side stuff) is Justin Boren. Boren was the starting guard for the Maize and Blue before transferring to Ohio State citing lack of family values on the part of RichRod and Company. He then went on taunt RichRod by dressing up as him for Halloween (and then probably banging this hottie in the picture. not sure how that fuels hate but it does)2.) Brandon Graham - Graham, the star defensive linesman for the Wolverines, this week called out Boren - basically calling him a giant pussy. Now I'm not an offensive lineman but when one of your own is called out you rally around him.

3. ) Jimbo Slice - Yes Jim Tressel. Winner of 5 in a row and 8 out of 9 v. the hated rival. Tressel's status as an OSU legend is arguably primarily tied to his slaying of Lloyd Carr and avenging John Cooper. I get the feeling though that the Wolverines would like nothing better to take it to Jimbo.

4.) Tate Forcier - Forcier promised a Wolverine victory. Well that requires a little bit of word manipulation but its hate week so lets do it. Forcier promised that that Team Up North would go to a bowl game. That can only happen if he defeats the Buckeyes. Hence ipso facto acetylsalicylic acid tri diem Tate Forcier promised he would defeat the Buckeyes. Thats fuel to the fire

5) Alternative Uniforms - As part of Nike's Pro Combat something something marketing campaign tOSU will be wearing modern classic uniforms a pseudo tribute to the 1954 team. Apparently tOSU players like the uni's and I'm guessing will only be allowed to wear them again if they win . Wolverine players are probably jealous Nike didn't like them enough for fancy new threads.As such all of these reasons and of course hundreds of others should provide suitable sustenance for those demanding more hate.....

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

What HappenedtOSU claimed a Rose Bowl bid, USC was hung, drawn and quartered, Pitt took a big step forward nationally, Arizona faceplanted out of the Pac 10 race, G-Tech clinched its division and will almost assuredly play Clemson for the ACC title, TCU is the best non-BCS team - by far, and Cinci edged West Virginia - meaning the winner of Cinci at Pitt on Dec 5th will win the Big East and get a bid.

Games of the WeekThe Ohio State at M*ch*g*n - Yes the Game isn't quit what it used to be as the Big 10 champion has already been crowned but there's still a lot to play for (namely blood). Richrod needs a win to avoid 2 straight bowl-less seasons. Ohio State looking to win the Big 10 title outright (and humiliate Michigan)

Oregon at Arizona - Probably an elimination game in the crazy Pac 10. Arizona had been riding high until last week's lost to Cal. An Oregon lost means they fall into tie for first place, lose the tie breaker to Stanford, and putting Stanford up as the team to beat.

Cal at Stanford - Stanford seems to have taken USC role as the hottest team in the country. They've destroyed two Pac 10 giants but need another win to keep their BCS hopes alive. For those unaware this is Stanford's main rivalry game as everyone knows Stanford hates Berkley hippies.

Team to WatchOregon State - With Arizona's loss, Oregon State now controls its own destiny in the crazy Pac 10. Oregon State has the best QB (Sean Canfield) in the conference. With an easy game against Wash State and a rivalry game at Oregon it's very easy to see how the other other OSU can win the Pac 10.

Bowl PredictionsJust a reminder BCS spots go to conference winners plus 4 at large spots (which can go to any team in the BCS top 14 with each conference at max being eligible for 2 teams). Assuming SEC/Texas go to the BCS game that means that the Fiesta/Sugar Bowl will have the first choices for the at-large teams. The Big East has no tie to any BCS bowl game. Teams listed below in black have clinched a spot.

TCU is way ahead of Boise State and will get an automatic bid. Rumor has it that the Fiesta prefers Iowa to Penn State. Note this is where selection order matters as if the Fiesta picks TCU over Iowa then the Orange Bowl would probably take Penn State leaving Iowa out of the BCS. Nonetheless for the last spot that nobody has claimed right now I have Ok State. Oklahoma State has several advantages (size, location, and most importantly Big 12 connections which the Fiesta normally has ties to) and with only 2 losses would get the spot over alternatives - this assumes Ok State beats Oklahoma. If Ok State loses to its arch-rival then its 's probably Boise State. The reason for this is while the loser of Pitt v. Cinci or if G-Tech loses to the suddenly red hot Clemson Tigers would be possible choices - Bowls rarely pick losers of their last game - especially so for non-glamour teams like G-Tech or Pitt.

As always Mighty Mike's review of the week in sports...from the backseat.....

NFL

All aboard the Who Dey Van As the Colonel correctly pointed out while Indy v. New England might have gotten the hype Cinci v. Pittsburgh might have had equal claim as two of the best teams in the AFC. The game demonstrated Cinci's depth, determination but most importantly its' defense. Yes finally Carson Palmer has a defense to rely on and its hard to argue that Who Dey are not contenders.

Hey kids get on board the Bengals' Van. They've got candy!

Don't Go To Bed Early If I had turned in early and mailed in the MMBSD I would have talked about the Pats offense - which was great. However I stayed up late and watched something truly stunning with the Colts come back win. What particularly stood out was Belichek's head scratching decision to go for it on 4rth-2 while the Pats were on their own 28 yard line. Simply a stunning decision by a former defensive coordinator. When the Pats failed and the Colts scored a TD to get the win Belichek showed something I don't think I've ever seen out of him - regret.

NFC East Not Good, Mushy Between the Cowboys and the Iggles bitch slapping this week I think its pretty apparent that the NFC East frankly blows. For years the Eastern bastion was thought of and was one of the toughest divisions in football..perennially sending one if not both of the wild cards. This year none from the NFC East rank as a contender and frankly I'm doubtful any will get a wild card.

College FootballUSC Can No Longer Harm YouAs Dr. Saturday notes, if two weeks ago Oregon proved that the USC dynasty was dead, this week Stanford dug up the corpse of USC, dragged in through the streets, and then proceeded to string it up for everyone to see. Stanford curb stomped USC 55-21 - USC's worst home loss in 43 years. The only question remaining surround long term ramifications as UCS finished for the year (probably headed to the Sun Bowl). One of the bigger questions I think is how does this affect the perception of the Pac 10. The Pac 10 has been one of the (if not THE) best conference in recent years but a combination of USC dominance and bad marketing have meant it's gotten short shrift. It's possible that the dismemberment of USC opens the door for the conference.

Harbaugh ignoring USC's claim that it's not dead yet

Nobody puts the Mustache in the Corner Another big story of the weekend was that the Wannstache put the final nail in Charlie Weis' coffin. I think its safe to say now that Charlie Weis will be fired and Notre Dame will opening the wallet to try to replace him with a big name. Cinci's Brian Kelly might well be the top candidate but don't be surprised if Stanford's Harbaugh or even OU's Bob Stoops gets their names raised in the rumor mill.

Could the Mustache Rule the Big East?

Roses for Ohio State Finally a mixed emotion win for Ohio State. For the 5th straight year the Buckeyes won the Big 10 and for the first time since John Cooper beat Jake Plummer tOSU is Rose Bowl bound - which is very impressive anyway you slice it. However since Urban Meir probably still has a jar with Tressel's testicles in it, the Buckeyes won in particularly ugly affair. One only need to look at any the national website olumnists (Pat Forde, Greg Doyal, Stewie Mandel) who showed nothing but contempt at the beyond conservative approach. Most of the jawing and unhappiness with the ugly win is predictions for yet another Big 10 Rose Bowl beatdown. Perceptions for tOSU (and Big 10) will be built on bowl wins and losses. A victory for the Sweatervests and redemption will be all that is written about, another big loss and yet further confirmation that tOSU is merely the big dog in the by far worst conference in the BCS .

Angry media types pelted Tressel with pretzels

NBA

This may will be be known as the Year of the Young Point Guards. Jennings 55 points is a highlight but Lawson, Evans, Flynn and Maynor are also showing solid to All Star potential.

Hidden away so far are how good the Atlanta Hawks have been. At 7-2 and now boasting a victory over Boston in Boston the Hawks now with Jamal Crawford might be finally taking the step into contender status.

Friday, November 13, 2009

The heartiest, most deeply-felt and emphatic “FUCK YOU!” goes to Matt Taibbi for penning this article back in April. In it, he spouts out lies, half-truths, common misconceptions, pedantic arguments, tired clichés and ad hominem attacks. None of that bothers me, given the fact that, as I’ve learned in writing online on a semi-regularly basis, every author is prone to these kinds of rants.

The danger, of course, is being proven wrong and having your words spoon-fed back to you through a feeding tube, presumably because someone punched you in your arrogant, dirty, cock-sucking mouth.

Well with 4 weeks left in the College Football in seems nothing can stop the early predictions of Texas v. SEC winner from happening. Ughh. How boring. Where in previous years its been almost a March Madness atmosphere of upsets and changes at the top. Not this year. And its certainly not like Texalabarida have been challenged at all...each has only beaten one ranked team (in Texas' case Ok State in Alabama/Florida's LSU). I'm still hopeful that crazy upsets will befall one of the giants but that doesn't seem to be anchored in reality.

and now for some needed Cheers and Jeers

Jeers: To Boise State. At this point I'm tired of their shtick. Between the hiring of a PR firm and then bitching about nobody willing to play them in Boise I think they've used up their goodwill. Yes I realize that Boise State wants to make more money and please their fans. Cool. There's a word for that...self-interested. Let's not pretend Boise State is motivated by anything else than the same thing that motivates every other school and every bowl game. Fortunately college football fans and the powers that be have voted and it doesn't include Boise State.

Cheers: For Big Daddy Drew making fun of Greg Easterbrook. I often wonder if Easterbrook and Mike Luppica have a secret pact as to who can simultaneously make the dumbest comment in the most pretentious manner.

Cheers: To Lou Dobbs quiting. For those that are unaware Lou Dobbs version of advocacy journalism involves yelling at minorities to get off his lawn. Also he hates the Eagles

Lou Dobbs being dragged out of his CNN car for hating on the Eagles (and minorities)

Jeers: To the Milwaukee Bucks being decent so far. I'm sorry but a team but the Bucks winning is an afront to the laws of men and gods.

And the C&J gal of the week goes to Christian Serratos who stripped for animals or orphans or leprechauns or something I don't care about....

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Must See TV in the coming week is not in the NFL. It's not in the NBA. It's over in Europe... as the home and home playoffs get under way on Saturday November 14 and Wednesday November 18th. Each matchup will determine a World Cup berth... and each loser will be sent home with nothing! This is must-see TV! Except it's on Setanta sports and some other network... so you'll have to go to a bar most likely to find these games...

Now, NFL time... and in honor of Balki from Perfect Strangers... I'm picking all the games Balki-style. Which mascot would win in a fight?

Manwich Matchup of the WeekPatriots @ Colts - A huge game for both teams, as always. I think that Patriots know how to tame Colts. That's my guess anyway.Pick: Pats

Upset of the WeekPackers @ Cowboys - After the Packers shockingly lost to Tampa Bay, they should get their shit together for this week. I hope. Plus, meat Packers could really beat up Cowboys.Pick: Packers

Opening Round Playoff Game #10Teams that have been eliminated: Cincy (against Denver in week 1)!, St. Louis, Washington, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Tampa, Oakland, Detroit, and now San Fran.Bills @ Titans- The Titans are 2-6 and are probably finished. The Bills are 3-5. A loss for either team should be a final nail in the coffin! But... we all know Titans could just step on a Bill and destroy them.Pick: Titans

Fantasy Football Game of InterestEagles @ Chargers - Most fantasy games will be decided by this game. I don't know who would win between a lightning bolt and an eagle. I think the eagle gets electrocuted, right?Pick: Chargers

Other GamesBears @ 49ers - Seriously? Who could beat a bear? Not someone from 1849!Pick: Bears

Jaguars @ Jets - I think a Jet could either run over the Jaguar or scare it away with its large engines.Pick: Jets

Broncos @ Redskins - Normally, as w/ the Colts-Patriots, I would say that people trump horses. However, we all know that these Redskins are a bunch of sissies who have no business taming a Bronco.Pick: Broncos

Bengals @ Steelers - A Bengal would ruthlessly attack a Steeler and chew off an arm.Pick: Bengals

Lions @ Vikings - Vikings have swords and shields which enable them to survive any Lion attack.Pick: Vikings

Saints @ Rams - I'm just picking the Saints, because they can handle taming a Ram.Pick: Saints

Falcons @ Panthers - This is a tough one. I think Falcons can swoop out of the sky and make enough attacks to take down a Panther.Pick: Falcons

Buccaneers @ Dolphins - Wow. A Buccaneer would totally destroy any Dolphin! Granted, if Aquaman were around, he could probably organize the Dolphins (along w/ other sea creatures) to tip over the ship carrying the Buccaneers. However, under the Balki method, a Buccaneer would certainly take down a Dolphin.Pick: Buccaneers

Chiefs @ Raiders - Eesh. Even under the Balki method, this is a difficult call. It would be quite the matchup to see the Chiefs take on the Raiders. I'm assuming that the Raiders have advanced weapons (i.e. gunpowder) allowing them to prevail.Pick: Raiders

Seahawks @ Cardinals - It's an aerial battle! According to the all-knowing wikipedia, a seahawk can refer to an osprey, a fish-eating bird of prey. Cardinals only eat seeds but have strong bills. Obviously, the Seahawk would prevail, even though they don't normally eat birds.Pick: Seahawks

Ravens @ Browns - I'm assuming the Browns are either a) small elves, or b) an edible brownie. Either way, the Raven will have no trouble.Pick: Ravens

Last Week: 8-5Season: 85-44Manwich: 4-5 (Eagles lost to the Cowboys)Upset of the Week: 3-6 (Go Chargers go!)

and now... a new feature...NBA games of the Week-last week's "Games of the Week" - Miami beat up Denver... and then Denver lost two more games on their road trip.Cavs beat a depleted Magic team, but Shaq held his own (surprisingly) against Dwight Howard.

This week...Cavs @ Heat - Thursday 11/12 - LeBron. Wade. Heat are actually 6-1 as of this moment.Lakers @ Nuggets - Friday 11/13 - Will the Nuggets lose 4 in a row?Spurs @ Mavs - Wed 11/18 - Both teams are off to slow starts with their new pieces.

NBA's most surpising team (2 weeks in):Milwaukee Bucks - Almost a unanimous vote for being the worst team in the Eastern Conference.... they are currently 4-2... with a marquee win over Denver tonight! It's still early, but rookie PG Brandon Jennings has been absolutely sensational. Usually, rookie PGs and rookie Centers take more time to adjust, but Jennings seems like a seasoned pro so far.

What HappenedAlabama clinched the SEC West; Northwestern ended Iowa's undefeated season; tOSU kept its Big 10 title hopes alive, Oregon lost taking us a step closer to Pac 10 chaos; Notre Dame lost to Navy, lost is BCS bowl hopes, and possibly ended Weis' tenure in South Bend; Clemson stepped up into ACC contender land, and RichRod stepped into warming seat land with a loss to Purdue.

Games of the WeekIowa at The Ohio State - This game is the de facto Big 10 championship game. Winner, regardless of the following week, goes to the Rose Bowl, loser (probably) goes to the Capital One Bowl. Iowa is limping into Columbus - almost certainly without their starting QB. tOSU is looking for its record 5th straight Big 10 title and coming off its best game of the year.

Utah at TCU - It's TCU's last (and possibly biggest) hurdle for the Frogs. They've long since left Boise State in their dust and now auditioning for the role of stand in if Texas loses. Good luck catching the game as its on CBS College Sports Network

West Virginia at Cincinnati (Friday)- Cinci , after a less than steller showing against UConn, now enters a gauntlet of Big East super powers (Pitt being the other). Cinci is also auditioning for Texas' stand in in case of a Texas loss and Brian Kelly will be showcasing himself for a bigger gig (Notre Dame? Georgia?)

Stanford at USC - Return to the scene of the crime where Stanford upset USC. This time Stanford has Pac 10 title hopes on the line.

Team to WatchArizona - Only 1 game seperates Oregon, Arizona, Stanford, USC, and Oregon State. Oddly enough alongside Oregon, Arizona controls its own destiny. If it wins out (specifically against Oregon) it wins the Pac 10. If it beats Oregon but loses to USC , USC could win the Pac 10 (although I'm legally bound to note that each of the 5 teams have a legitimate shot at the title)

Bowl Predictions I'm now predicting that TCU will win out and claim the non-BCS spot. I'm also predicting tOSU over Iowa. The last BCS spot continues to shift. Miami only has two losses and in a bad economy I'm guessing the Orange Bowl will snatch them up over other alternatives (Iowa, Penn State, Ok State, Boise State)

Monday, November 09, 2009

As always Back Seat driving for the weekend/week in Sports (or minimum what I can scrounge together....

NFL

Early Favorites The past few years have seen teams suddenly catch fire around this time to suddenly catapult themselves into the Super Bowl (Giants/Cardinals). It's hard to figure who that might be and it seems hard to imagine any of the favorites being knocked aside (of course at this point last year I never would guessed Arizona was on its way to the Super Bowl). New England and Indy perennial favorites seem to be heading to yet another AFC title matchup while New Orleans and Minnesota are cream of the crop in the NFC. All avoided let downs this week (Minnesota beating the bye)

Who Dey (Part II) If I was trying to find a team about to launch intself into that strata one would be Cinci. Cinci's D simply dominated Baltimore while Benson and Palmer continued to roll on. I had assumed at some point either Benson wouldn't produce or the D would be exposed. At 6-2 and an easy schedule the Bengals could be well placed for a late run.

Disappointments If I was going to label two first half disappointments they both reside in the NFC North: Green Bay and Chicago. Both before the season were picked as two of the better if not best teams in the NFC and both at this point are mediocre at best. Green Bay gave away a game to previously winless Tampa Bay while Chicago was thumped by Arizona.College FootballCinderella Goes Down Whether it was a team that got looking ahead to a big matchup, a team devastated by a hurt QB, or simply its luck ran out Iowa bowed out of the ranks of the unbeatenthis week. Iowa seemingly had been playing with fire for weeks both on the field with last second death defying wins and off via injuries as by the end of the game against Northwestern Iowa was on their 4rth string RB and 2nd string QB - Saturday it caught up to them....Return of Tressel Ball Iowa's loss was particularly devastastating due the Return of Tressel Ball and the first win tOSU has had over a top 15 since Michigan 2006. Smothering defense, outstanding special teams, and mistake free offense (no turnovers/sacks) made the victory over Penn State definitive. The Sweatervest victory means that the winner of Iowa and tOSU will win the Big 10 and go the Rose Bowl.Pac 10 Open Oregon's loss to Stanford would have been interpreted, if it happened in the NFL, as the proverbial let down game. However, Oregon really never had a chance at the Championship game and even with the loss still controls its destiny to win the Pac 10 so I think the loss isn't that significant. It does, though, now mean that 1 game seperates the top 5 teams in the Pac 10 so Oregon's margin for error is now zero.

Other thoughts - Another SEC game, another favorable call for a SEC elite, another victory by the SEC elite. Alabama officially clinched a birth in the National Championship Semifinal game better known as the SEC Championship Game when the SEC refs ruled against an LSU interception. Jahvid Best gets the nomination for scariest TD in awhile.NBAIt's Still Early but two teams that have surprisingly done well are Phoenix and Miami (6-1 and 5-1) respectively. Phoenix substituted Channing Frye for Shaq while Miami added Quintin Richardson - hardily moves that should vault either into division leader status. Phoenix seems to be playing like it used (all offense no defense) which might be enough to get a playoff spot. Miami over the long haul has to rely on Jermaine O'Neal staying healthy and Michael Beasley continuing his productivity (less likely)

Mangini, who had a hand in picking Kokinis for GM earlier this year, saw his buddy escorted out of the building and fired. Now, Mangini gets to help in searching for a new GM. I am scared about the upcoming results on this.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Manwich Matchup of the WeekCowboys @ Eagles - Another great divisional rivalry... I can't seem to predict any of these NFC games right, but this game should be very entertaining at least.Pick: Eagles

Upset of the WeekChargers @ Giants - Rivers vs. Eli Manning. MJ can dream about what might have been.Pick: Chargers

Opening Round Playoff Game #8Teams that have been eliminated: Cincy (against Denver in week 1)!, St. Louis, Washington, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Tampa, Oakland, and now Detroit.Tennessee @ San Fran - The Titans are 1-6 and are probably finished. The 49ers are 3-4, and on a 3-game losing streak. A loss for either team should be a final nail in the coffin!Pick: San Fran

Fantasy Football Game of InterestHouston @ Indy - I took Steve Slaton over Chris Johnson in my fantasy league... in the first round. Last week, Slaton got benched after fumbling and got negative points for me... and then his backup entered the game and got like 140 yards and 3 TDs. What will happen this week? I'm not sure. Probably the end of my fantasy team. Either way, this matchup is very entertaining w/ many fantasy players involved.Pick: Indy

Other GamesKC @ Jack-o - Pick: JacksonvilleBaltimore @ Cincy - Pick: BaltimoreWashington @ ATL - Pick: ATLGB @ TB - Pick: GBArizona @ Chicago - Both teams are 4-3 and I honestly feel like I never know what either team will do. It's pretty cold outside now, so I guess I'll go w/ the home team. Pick: ChicagoMiami @ New England- Pick: New EnglandCAR @ New Orleans - Pick: New OrleansDetroit @ Seattle - Pick: SeattlePitt @ Denver - Very interesting game... it will be funny if the Broncos end up losing to both the Ravens and the Steelers. Pick: Steelers

Last Week: 9-4Season: 77-39Manwich: 4-4 (Giants lost again)Upset of the Week: 2-6 (ATL actually came w/in striking distance of the Saints)

and now... a new feature...NBA games of the Week-Denver @ Miami - Friday 11/6 - The Nuggets and Heat have gotten off to fast starts so this game should be interesting.Cleveland @ Orlando - Wednesday 11/11 - An early season matchup for last year's Eastern Conference finalists though Rashard Lewis will still be out on suspension. Granted, the Magic have been absolutely unstoppable and PF Ryan Anderson, a 6-10 3-point shooting forward who was a "throw-in" in the Vince Carter trade has been sensational. New Orleans @ Phoenix - Wed. 11/11 - Get to see Chris Paul vs. Steve Nash. Always a great time.

Cincy has overtaken Alabama!!! I can't believe it! Skynet has no bias, and reports out of the south indicate that the SEC fans are trembling in fear!

Actually, Cincy, Alabama, Texas, and Oregon are in a virtual deadlock in spots three through six. Also of note is that despite the head-to-head victory by Boise State over Oregon, the computers all have Oregon considerably ahead of Boise, thus showing us that the overall body of work of Oregon is indeed objectively better.

Most underrated by the humans: Iowa, Cincy, Oregon, Arizona (same as last week)